Production of alcohol



' Patent June 19, 1.923.

9 residing at Marseille, in the Republic of France, have ploying glycerine may also be arranged to No Drawing.

ments in or Relating 1,459,699 PAE OFFICE.

JOSEPH VAN BUYMBEKE, OF MARSEILLE, FRANCE.

PRODUCTION or crooner.

To all whomc'tmag concern: '1 Be it known that I, JOSEPH VAN RUYM- IBEKE, a subset of the King of Belgium, s Tamaris, Vieille-Chapelle.

invented certain new and useful Improveto the Production of Alcohol, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved process for the production of alcohol of high strength say about 98-99 per cent, by means of distillation or rectification. It is known that the usual rectifying plant can not produce alcohol of a strength much greater than 93 per cent and alcohol of a higher strength can be obtained only by special and somewhat costly methods.

According to this invention '1 distill alcohol in the presence of glycerine, which acts as a dehydrating agent with the result that the alcohol Obtained from the distillation apparatus or rectifying column is Of considerably increased concentration.

1 prefer to distill the alcohol in a rectifying column through which flows a counter current of glycerine. By suitably regulating the rates of flow of the glycerine and the alcohol vapour the alcohol leaving the column when condensed and cooled in the usual manner, attains a strength of about 98 to 99 per cent. The glycerine which flows to the bottom of the column carries bothwater and alcohol and the alcohol can be recovered in a second rectifying column by injectin steam at the base, the recovered alcoho passing again to the primary-rectifying apparatus. The glycerinefrom the bottom of the second rectifying column is free from the plant for the glycerine process can form part of existing rectifying plant, in which case it is possible to save the heat necessary to vaporize the alcohol in the ordinary ap- Karatus by condensingonly the alcohol which as to be returned to the ordinary continuous rectifying column in order to keep the various plates at the necessary strength, leaving the remaining alcohol vapor to go to the column down which the glycerine flows. The

,Application filed August 15, 1921. Serial No. 492,466.

alcohol vapor recovered from the dilutedv glycerine can be directly returned to the primary rectifying column of the ordinary apparatus. In the case of discontinuous p ant the additional rectifying plant emoperate in conjunction with the ordinary plant.

The apparatus employed is of the ordinary character and requires no illustration andthe temperatures involved in the process are the ordinary temperatures ofrectification. The rate at which glycerine is supplied in a, counter current to the recti ing column depends upon the strength 0 the alcohol required, the amount of waterto be removed and the rate of distillation. For example,

Letters Patent of the United States is:-

1. A process for th production of alcohol of high strength con isting in bringing alcohol vapours into contact with glycerine in a rectifyingl columrnthe said glycerine-acting as a de ydrating agent.

2.- A process for the production ofalcohol of high strength consistin in distilling the alcohol in a rectifying co um and passing a counter-current of glycerine down said rectifying column at a predetermined rate. v

3. A process for the production of alcohol of high strength consisting in distillingthe alcohol in the presence of glycerine, separating the, a ueous solution of glycerine and alcohol which flows to the bottom of the rectifying column, subjectinguthe said aqueous solution to a second disti ation to recover the alcohol, rcturnin the recovered alcohol to the primary disti lation apparatus concentrating the aqueous solution of glycerine to remove the water and thereafter employing the glycerine so recovered in the primary alcohol distillation apparatus. 5

4. A process for the production of alcohol of high strength consisting in distillin the alcohol by the ordinary process wit an ordinary rectifying column, condensing part of the alcohol vapour produced andreturning it to the said ordinar rectifying column passing the remainder o the alcohol vapour without condensation into the rectifying column of a second apparatus, and treating the said alcohol vapour with glycerine in the rectifging column of the second apparatus. 5. process for the production of alcohol of high strength consisting in distilling the alcohol by the ordinary process with an ordinary rectifying column condensing-part of the alcohol vapour produced and return-' said aqueous solution to a further distillation to recover the alcohol, returningthe recovered alcohol to the ordinary distillation apparatus, concentrating the aqueous solution of glycerine to remove the water, and thereafter employing the glycerine so recovered in the rectifying column of said second apparatus.

6. The process of producing alcohol of strength 98 to 99 per cent by bringing alcohol vapours into contact with glycerine in a rectifyin column, the said glycerine acting as a de ydrating agent.

JOSEPH VAN RU-YMBEKE.

Witnesses A. MAcrARLANn, D. C. Woons. 

